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I obviously don't have to technical know-how to be able to understand this issue (of immunostaining), but I do understand that it is contentious. I guess people will be swayed one way or the other by the weight of evidence (as they see it), rather than anyone particular piece of evidence (in the absence of techniques that can definitively prove infection). In that context, I though the following statement was interesting:
Reactive arthritis (ReA) is defined as a sterile synovitis developing after a distant infection, usually in the genitourinary or gastrointestinal tract. The detection of microbial components (microbial DNA and RNA) in the joints of patients with ReA has led to the reconsideration of this definition (59). Currently, ReA is better defined as an immune-mediated synovitis resulting from slow bacterial infections and showing intra-articular persistence of viable nonculturable bacteria and/or immunogenetic bacterial antigens synthesized by metabolically active bacteria residing in the joint and/or elsewhere in the body (104, 204).
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC387405/
I realise that you might not share this view, but it seems to me that there is increasing evidence in favour of this view (along with increasing evidence against, I am sure). I guess it comes down to whether you think a positive result (i.e. identification of a pathogen) is more significant than a negative result (i.e. failure to identify a pathogen).
I have been having hip and leg pain for the last month. My chiropractor said it is tendons and seemed a little surprised it is still going on.My legs hurting is the most torturous of all my symptoms.